James Jolobe Secondary School is located in the heart of Motherwell, Gqeberha. It has come a long way since its establishment in 1992. Once regarded as one of the underachieving schools in the Nelson Mandela Municipality (NMB), the school has undergone a remarkable transformation, posting impressive matric results and shattering records.
Despite being plagued by societal challenges such as crime, substance abuse, and vandalism, the school’s dedicated educators and students have persevered, achieving outstanding results. Since 2022, the school’s matric pass rate has consistently exceeded 80%, with a notable 89% pass rate in both 2022 and 2023 and 83% in 2024.
However, the school still faces significant infrastructure and teaching and learning resource challenges. Notably, there is a shortage of essential teaching and learning materials, including computers and projectors. Furthermore, the lack of electricity in classrooms has severely impacted the school’s ability to plan and execute critical educational activities, such as school camps, morning classes, and cross-night studies.
Despite these challenges, the school’s success is not limited to its overall pass rate. In 2024, several educators achieved 100% pass rates in subjects such as English, Tourism, History, Life Orientation, Business Studies, and notably, Geography, which achieved a remarkable 96% pass rate, up from 75% in 2023. This achievement marks a historic first for the school and solidifies its position as one of best performing schools in Motherwell. Furthermore, the school saw a significant increase in Bachelor’s passes, with over 32 out 54 of students achieving this distinction.
The pinnacle of the school’s achievements is the remarkable performance of Petros Matinha, who emerged as the second-best learner in the Nelson Mandela Metro. Petros achieved an impressive seven Level 7’s in subjects including IsiXhosa, English, Mathematics, Physical Science, Geography, and Life Sciences. This achievement marks a historic first for the school. This outstanding success can be attributed to the solid collaboration between the stakeholders of the school, including the School Governing Body, learners, teachers, and management.
